Self-watering and fertilizing pot for plants

ABSTRACT

A double-walled container having a bottom wall, an exterior wall, and an interior wall disposed in concentric relation to the exterior wall. The bottom wall, the exterior wall, and the interior wall define a liquid fluid-holding reservoir. An annular top wall interconnects the exterior wall and the interior wall at their respective uppermost rims. A fill opening formed in the top wall enables introduction of liquid fluid into the liquid fluid-holding reservoir. The interior wall and the bottom wall define a soil or liquid fluid-holding space. A flow control valve extends through a first opening formed in the exterior wall and a second opening formed in the interior wall. Liquid fluid in the liquid fluid-holding reservoir is introduced into fluid communication with soil in the soil-holding space by opening the flow control valve. In another embodiment, a flask is retrofit into a single-walled container.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates, generally, to means for watering and fertilizingpotted plants or flowers in vases. More particularly, it relates tomeans for watering and fertilizing means that conserves water.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Some plants require daily watering and cannot be left unattended formore than a few days. Other plants require drying out between watering.Their roots are heavily soaked, allowed to dry over a period of a weekor so, and then heavily watered again.

These plants may be left unattended for a little more than a week, butnot much more.

Plants also require fertilizer, but usually on a less frequent basisthan water.

Numerous self-watering pots have been developed to enable plantcaretakers to take vacations or to avoid daily and weekly watering ofplants for other reasons. Typically, these methods include a remotereservoir of water in fluid communication with one of more pots.

In some designs, wicks are employed to draw water from an externalreservoir into the soil within which a plant is rooted.

One of the drawbacks of the known systems is that no means are providedto regulate water flow to individual plants. Thus, all plants in thenetwork receive about the same amount of water over a given period oftime. Thus, too much water is provided to some plants and too little toothers. As a result, water is wasted through excessive evaporation or bydraining from the bottom of a pot containing an over-watered plant. Someplants are killed from over-watering and some die from under-watering.

However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time thepresent invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinaryskill in the pertinent art how the drawbacks of the known plant-wateringsystems could be overcome.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a self-wateringpot for plants is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.

In a first embodiment, the novel structure includes a double-walledcontainer having a bottom wall, an exterior wall extending upwardly froma peripheral edge of the bottom wall, and an interior wall extendingupwardly from the bottom wall in concentric relation to the exteriorwall.

A liquid fluid-holding reservoir is defined by the bottom wall, theexterior wall, and the interior wall.

A top wall of annular or other predetermined configuration interconnectsthe exterior wall and the interior wall at their respective uppermostrims. A fill opening is formed in the top wall to enable introduction ofliquid fluid into the liquid fluid-holding reservoir.

A soil or liquid fluid-holding space is defined by the interior wall andthe bottom wall. A first opening is formed in the exterior wall and asecond opening is formed in the interior wall in alignment therewith.

A flow control valve means extends through the first and secondopenings. The flow control valve means includes a control knob mountedto the proximal end of an elongate tapered stem. The control knob isexternal to the pot and the elongate tapered stem is immersed in theliquid fluid-holding reservoir.

The elongate tapered stem has a distal end adapted to extend into thesoil. The stem is disposed through the first and second openings so thatfull rotation of the control knob in a first direction seals the firstand second openings and so that rotation of the control knob in a seconddirection opposite to the first direction maintains the first opening ina sealed condition but opens the second opening so that water in theliquid fluid-holding reservoir flows into the soil or liquid-fluidfolding space.

In this way, the control valve can be set so that liquid fluid graduallyseeps into the soil or the liquid fluid-holding space at a preselectedrate. Accordingly, a plant rooted in the soil receives water from theliquid fluid-holding reservoir for an extended period of time so that ahuman need not water the plant on a daily of weekly basis and so thatwater is concerved.

In a second embodiment, a false bottom wall is positioned in parallelrelation to the true bottom wall, upwardly thereof to create a secondliquid fluid-holding reservoir between the false bottom wall and thetrue bottom wall so that the soil that is in the soil or liquidfluid-holding space is supported by the false bottom wall.

In this second embodiment, at least one opening is formed in theinterior wall above a plane defined by the true bottom wall and below aplane defined by the false bottom wall so that liquid fluid in theliquid fluid-holding reservoir flows into a second liquid fluid-holdingreservoir defined by the true bottom wall, the false bottom wall, and alower part of the interior wall having said at least one opening formedtherein.

In additional embodiments, vases are provided for holding flowers andcontainers are provided for holding water for feeding animals. No soilis contained in such additional embodiments.

In another embodiment, a plurality of self-watering, self-fertilizingpots are connected to a manifold that is connected to a holding tank.Timers on the manifold control the delivery of water to the respectivereservoirs of each potted plant. A flow control valve is provided oneach pot in the network of pots so that a user controls the individualrequirements of each plant as in the earlier embodiments.

Another embodiment includes an apparatus that is retrofit into a pot forplants, so that the pot becomes a self-watering pot. It is provided inthe form of a single-walled container or flask having a bottom wall, aside wall mounted about and extending upwardly from a peripheral edge ofthe bottom wall, and a top wall. A liquid fluid-holding reservoir isdefined by the bottom wall, the side wall, and the top wall. A fillopening is formed in the top wall so that liquid fluid may be introducedinto the liquid fluid-holding reservoir.

The single-walled container has a narrow structure to facilitate itsinsertion into soil contained within a conventional single-walled potfor plants. A flow control valve means has an elongate tapered stem thatextends through the container.

The elongate tapered stem has a distal end adapted to extend into thesoil. The flow control valve means has a control knob positioned on anexternal surface of the single-walled container. Full rotation of thecontrol knob in a first direction is adapted to prevent flow of waterfrom the liquid fluid-holding reservoir into the soil and rotation ofthe control knob in a second direction opposite to the first directionis adapted to enable liquid fluid in the reservoir to flow into thesoil. In this way, the flow rate of liquid fluid into the soil iscontrollable by the flow control valve means.

The control knob is mounted on the external surface of the container atthe top wall thereof and a linkage means interconnects the control knobto the tapered stem. The linkage means includes an elongate controlshaft that rotates conjointly with the control knob, a first gear meansmounted to a distal end of the elongate control shaft that rotatesconjointly with the control shaft, and a second gear means mounted onthe elongate tapered stem that is driven by the first gear means so thatrotation of the control knob in a first direction effects simultaneousrotation of the elongate tapered shaft in a first direction and so thatrotation of the control knob in a second direction effects simultaneousrotation of the elongate tapered shaft in a second direction opposite tothe first direction. Rotation of the control knob in the first directiontherefore reduces a flow rate of liquid fluid into the soil and rotationof the control knob in the second direction increases the flow rate.

A seeping chamber may be secured to the container on a sidewall thereofthat abuts the soil when the container is positioned within the pot. Theseeping chamber has at least one weep opening formed therein. Theseeping chamber is adapted to house the distal end of the elongatetapered stem so that liquid fluid flowing from the liquid fluid filledspace must first enter the seeping chamber before flowing into the soilthrough the at least one weep opening.

A wick means having a first end disposed within the seeping chamber anda second end disposed external to the seeping chamber may be provided aswell. The second end is adapted to be in contact with the soil, therebeing an opening formed in the seeping chamber through which the wickextends.

The primary object of this invention is to preserve water resources.

An important object of this invention is to provide a pot for pottedplants that delivers an appropriate amount of water or liquid nutrientto the soil within which the plant is rooted so that water is notwasted.

Another important object is to provide a plant-watering system thathandles multiple plants at a time, sending to each a correct amount ofwater on a timely basis.

Other objects include the provision of water to flower vases or petdishes.

These and other important objects, advantages, and features of theinvention will become clear as this description proceeds.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will beexemplified in the description set forth hereinafter and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is detailed view of the control knob of said first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a detailed, exploded perspective view of a fill cap and airvent;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view depicting the novel flow controlvalve;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment;

FIG. 5A is a sectional view of a variation of the second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a variation of the third embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a wick used in the sixthembodiment;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of a ninth embodiment;

FIG. 18 depicts a tenth embodiment inserted into a conventional pot;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the tenth embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the tenth embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21—21 in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an eleventh embodiment; and

FIG. 23 is an enlarged, detailed, partially broken away perspective viewof the reservoir means of the eleventh embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, it will there be seen that the referencenumeral 10 denotes a first illustrative embodiment of the presentinvention as a whole.

Pot 10 is double-walled, having true bottom wall 11 and having exteriorwall 12 and interior wall 14 separated by a liquid fluid-holdingreservoir 16 (FIG. 3) that may be of annular or other predeterminedconfiguration. Bottom wall 15 is formed integrally with interior wall14. Roots 18 of plant 20 grow within soil 22. The space occupied by soil22 is a liquid fluid-holding space in embodiments where no soil isprovided. Top wall 24 inhibits evaporation when annular liquidfluid-holding reservoir 16 is filled with water 25 or a mixture of waterand liquid fertilizer or liquid nutrients. Liquid fluid is introducedinto annular liquid fluid-holding reservoir 16 through fill opening 26(FIG. 2) formed in top wall 24. Fill cap 28 closes opening 26.

When fully seated, cap 28 could cause formation of a vacuum at the topof pot 10, preventing water 25 from flowing. Accordingly, slot 30 (FIG.2) is formed in open communication with fill opening 26 to preventformation of said vacuum.

One of the important teachings of this invention relates to preventionof over-watering. To ensure that plant 20 in pot 10 is neither under norover-watered, flow control valve 32 is provided near the bottom of pot10. In this first embodiment, flow control valve 32 has an elongatedownwardly tapered stem 36 that extends through an opening formed inexterior wall 12, said opening lined with a suitable bushing 35 (FIG.4). Elongate tapered stem 36 further extends through bushing 37 seatedin a second opening formed in interior wall 14 in alignment with firstopening 35. Control knob or handle 34 of flow control valve 32 ispositioned on an external surface of exterior wall 12.

Accordingly, counterclockwise rotation of control knob 34 backs elongatetapered stem 36 out of sealing relation to bushing 37 so that water 25in reservoir 16 may flow into soil 22. Due to the downwardly taperedstructure of stem 36, increased counterclockwise rotation of controlknob 34 increases the flow rate of water 25 into soil 22 and clockwiserotation reduces said flow rate until it becomes zero when control valve32 is fully seated. In this way, the flow rate of water into soil 22 maybe tightly controlled.

A tough sheet of tissue or paper, not shown, could be wrapped aroundelongate tapered stem 36 to help keep soil out of reservoir 16. Whenflow control valve 32 is at least slightly open, the water flow fromreservoir 16 would help clean soil from the tissue as needed, flushingthe soil back into the soil-holding space.

As depicted in increased detail in FIG. 1A, a pointer 33 in the form ofa single-headed directional arrow is imprinted or otherwise applied tocontrol knob 34. A plurality of numbered zones are imprinted orotherwise applied to exterior wall 12 in surrounding relation to controlknob 34. A booklet would include information concerning which zone isappropriate for each plant that may be planted in container 10. Forexample, the booklet might state that pointer 33 should be aimed at zoneone if cactus is planted in container 10 and at zone five if AfricanViolets are planted in said container. In this way, different zoneswould be indicated for roses, wildflowers, various potted plants, andthe like. The zone recommendations could also be varied in differentparts of the earth since some areas have lower humidity than others, forexample.

The second embodiment of this invention, depicted in FIG. 5, adds afalse bottom 44 to the structure of FIGS. 1-4. This creates anadditional liquid fluid-holding reservoir 45 for water or water mixedwith liquid nutrients or fertilizer. Flow control valve 32 is positionedso that it extends into reservoir 45 as depicted. Plural openings,collectively denoted 46, are formed in false bottom 44 to enable waterin reservoir 45 to come into contact with soil 22. False bottom 44 isdisposed in parallel, vertically spaced apart relation to interiorbottom wall 15. False bottom 44 supports soil 22 and enables water toflow under the soil to better distribute the moisture.

In a variation of the second embodiment, depicted in FIG. 5A, the waterline is below false bottom 44 having openings 46 and soil 22 does notcontact said false bottom. Soil 22 is kept moist, however, by theevaporation of water in reservoir 45.

This structure is ideal for plants such as orchids that require moistbut not soaked soil at all times.

A shallow flower vase 50 having no soil is depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7 andrepresents the third embodiment of the invention. Its structure issimilar to that of the deeper vases of FIGS. 1-5, as indicated by sharedreference numerals. However, since there is no soil 22, this embodimentadds a seeping chamber or reservoir 51 (FIG. 7) defined by walls 52. Thedistal end of elongate tapered stem 36 of control valve 32 extends intoseeping chamber 51 and the chamber fills to the level of laterallyspaced apart weep openings 54 when control valve 32 is opened bycounterclockwise rotation as described above. Water then flows throughweep openings 54 to fill the liquid fluid-holding space 22 of the vaseup to the level of said openings 54.

The embodiment of FIG. 7 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 6 only inthat said FIG. 7 embodiment includes a plurality of rigid, upstandingspikes, collectively denoted 55, that impale the lowermost ends ofelongate flower stems, not shown, to help them stand up.

Check valve 60 is added to the distal free end of elongate tapered stem36 in the fourth embodiment of the invention, depicted in FIG. 8. Checkvalve 60 does not interfere with the normal operation of flow controlvalve 32 so that water 25 in liquid fluid-holding reservoir 16 is freeto flow into soil or liquid fluid-holding space 22 when said controlvalve is opened in the manner described above. However, check valve 60prevents reverse flow of water in said soil to liquid fluid-holdingreservoir 16.

A fifth embodiment, having an elevated control knob 70, is depicted inFIGS. 9 and 10. Flow control valve 32 of the earlier-describedembodiments is immersed within water and as such may be subject to someleakage. The embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 thus eliminates the openingformed in the lower end of exterior wall 12 for receiving said flowcontrol valve 32, and further eliminates control knob 34 of said flowcontrol valve 32. However, elongate tapered stem 36 remains andfunctions in the same way.

Shaft 72 is secured to elevated control knob 70 and a boss 74 formed inthe radially outward side of interior wall 14 rotatably engages the freeend of shaft 72. Shaft 72 carries gear 76 that meshes with horizontallydisposed gear 78 that surmounts elongate shaft 80. A small worm-likegear 82 is formed in the lowermost end of shaft 80 and said gear 82meshingly engages a larger gear 84 carried by elongate tapered stem 36of the lower flow control valve. Gears 76, 78, 82, and 84 thus form agear train that translates rotation of shaft 72 into simultaneous andcorresponding rotation of elongate tapered stem 36 of flow control valve32. Vertically spaced apart linkage braces 86, 88 provide lateralsupport to shaft 80 and are of open construction to allow water to flowtherethrough.

FIGS. 11 and 12 depict a sixth embodiment that may be used inconjunction with flow control valves 32 or 70 or in lieu thereof. Anelongate wick 90 has a first end immersed in water 25 in liquidfluid-holding reservoir 16 and a second end buried in soil 22. Aflexible straw 92 covers all of wick except the first end thereof thatis immersed in water and the second end thereof that is buried in soil22. In this way, most of wick 90 is shielded and no wicking action canoccur except at the exposed opposite ends; this distinguishes wick 90from prior art wicks. Straw 92 has a flexible part 94 about mid-lengththereof so that a return bend is easily formed therein as depicted.

A seventh embodiment, depicted in FIGS. 13 and 14, provides apet-watering dish 100 that incorporates novel flow control valve 32. Aremovable water jug 102 having a vent opening 104 formed in its bottomwall and a projecting neck 106 integral with its top wall is inverted sothat neck 106 is snugly received within central opening 107 formed intop wall 108 of base 110. Water-containing cavity 109 is formed by base110 and top wall 108 thereof. Water in jug 102 flows from neck 106 untilthe water level in cavity 109 rises to the level of the neck andprevents further outflow. Water in base 110 enters seeping chamber 52and flows through openings 54 into a tray 112 from which a pet mayaccess the water. This structure is easy to clean and it is easy to addwater thereto.

As best understood in connection with FIG. 14, flow control valve 32 inthis seventh embodiment is sufficiently long to extend from back wall111 of base 110 into seeping chamber 52. Thus, the flow rate of waterentering seeping chamber 52 is controlled by the rotational position ofcontrol knob 32 as in the earlier embodiments. In this way, the petowner may tightly control the flow rate of water into tray 112.

An eighth embodiment, depicted in FIGS. 15 and 16, provides apet-watering bowl 120 having hollow interior sidewall 14, flow controlvalve 32, and seeping chamber 52. This structure enables the pet ownerto tightly control the flow of water into bowl 120 in the same way asaccomplished in connection with shallow vase 50 of FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 17 depicts a ninth embodiment having a holding tank 130 for holdinga relatively large volume of water or a solution of water and liquidnutrients or fertilizer. Holding tank 130 includes fill cap 132 but italso includes a hose bib 134 so that a hose can be permanently securedthereto. By connecting a hose to a remote source of water under pressureand leaving a valve between the source of water and the hose open at alltimes, a continual supply of water to holding tank 130 is assured.On/Off valve 136 is positioned at the outlet of the holding tank. Hose138 extends from On/Off valve 136 to manifold 140. A plurality oftimers, collectively denoted 142, are mounted on manifold 140 and areindependently adjustable so that water may be delivered to differentplants according to differing schedules. Hoses 144 extend from a valveat each timer 142 to their respective plants. A first timer may open itsassociated valve for one hour once per week, a second may open itsassociated valve for ten minutes every day, and so on, as programmed bya user. The rate of water supplied to each individual pot, however,remains under the control of the user because the user still sets eachcontrol knob 34 of each self-watering pot individually.

FIGS. 18-21 depict a tenth embodiment. This embodiment differs from allprevious embodiments in that it does not include a double-walledcontainer. Instead, it is provided in the form of a relatively thinflask 146 that is inserted into a conventional single-walled pot betweenthe side walls of the pot and the dirt contained in said pot. Water,including liquid fertilizer, nutrients, or the like, is still meteredinto the soil by the novel flow adjustment means of this invention, butthe water flows from the flask. In effect, the flask transforms asingle-walled container into a double-walled container for the extent ofthe single walled container that abuts the flask. Thus, the novelapparatus of this tenth embodiment is retrofit into an existingsingle-walled pot for plants, thereby transforming said pot into aself-watering pot.

More particularly, as depicted in FIGS. 18 and 19, flask 146 ispositioned on the periphery of a single-walled container 148 having aplant 150 therein. The soil in container 148 is not depicted to simplifythe drawings. Although flask 146 could have a flat profile, itpreferably has a radius of curvature that matches the radius ofcurvature of container 148. Flask 146 may have a relatively shortcircumferential extent as depicted in FIG. 19, or it could have agreater circumferential extent. It could even be provided in the form ofan annular ring that completely circumscribes the container.

The narrow structure of flask 146 facilitates its insertion into asingle-walled conventional pot.

As best depicted in FIGS. 20 and 21, flask 146 has a top wall 152 withinwhich is formed a fill opening that is capped as at 154. A vent openingis denoted 156. The reference numeral 70 denotes a control knob likecontrol knob 70 in the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11. As best understoodby comparing said FIGS. 10 and 11 with the embodiment of FIGS. 18-21,manual rotation of control knob 70 in a clockwise direction rotateselongate control shaft 80 in the same direction. A small worm 82 isformed in the lowermost end of control shaft 80 and said worm 82meshingly engages worm gear 84 carried by elongate tapered stem 36 offlow control valve 32. Gears 82 and 84 thus form a gear train thattranslates rotation of control shaft 80 into simultaneous andcorresponding rotation of elongate tapered stem 36 of flow control valve32 so that the manipulator of control knob 70 may regulate the flow rateof water from flask 146 into the soil within single-walled container148.

An eleventh embodiment is depicted in FIGS. 22 and 23. It includes thetenth embodiment and adds a seeping chamber defined by walls 52 havingweep holes 54 and further having wick 158. Water is metered into theseeping chamber through check valve 60 that forms a part of flow controlvalve 32 and accumulates therein until it reaches the height of weepholes 54. Wick 158 extends into the soil, not shown, through an openingformed in walls 52 so that water is provided to the plant upon demand.An enlarged end of wick 158 a is housed within the seeping chamber. Theenlargement prevents the wick from being pulled out of the seepingchamber when flask 146 is inserted into container 148.

The use of flask 146 enables consumers to enjoy the benefits provided bydouble-walled containers even if a plant is in a single-walled pot.

Each of these embodiments promote the conservation of water to an extentheretofore not achievable in the context of potted plants and petwatering trays. Widespread use of these embodiments will substantiallylimit the wasteful use of water now associated with potted plants andpets.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those madeapparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Sincecertain changes may be made in the above construction without departingfrom the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matterscontained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described,

What is claimed is:
 1. A self-watering pot for plants, comprising: adouble-walled container having an exterior bottom wall, an exterior sidewall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of said exterior bottomwall, an interior bottom wall disposed in vertically spaced relation tosaid exterior bottom wall, an interior side wall extending upwardly froma peripheral edge of said interior bottom wall, said interior side walldisposed radially inwardly relative to said exterior side wall in spacedapart relation thereto, and an annular top wall that interconnectsrespective uppermost ends of said exterior and interior side walls; afirst liquid fluid-holding reservoir defined by said exterior bottomwall, said exterior side wall, said interior bottom wall, said interiorside wall, and said annular top wall; a fill opening formed in saidannular top wall so that liquid fluid may be introduced into said firstliquid fluid-holding reservoir; a liquid fluid-holding space defined bysaid interior bottom wall and said interior side wall; a first openingformed in said exterior wall; a second opening formed in said interiorwall in aligned relation to said first opening; a flow control valvemeans having a control knob positioned on an exterior side of saidexterior side wall; said flow control valve means having an elongatetapered stem secured to said control knob for conjoint rotationtherewith; said elongate tapered stem disposed through said first andsecond openings so that full rotation of said control knob in a firstdirection seals said first and second openings and so that rotation ofsaid control knob in a second direction opposite to said first directionmaintains said first opening in a sealed condition. but opens saidsecond opening so that water in said reservoir flows into saidliquid-fluid folding space; whereby the flow rate of liquid fluid intosaid liquid fluid-holding space is controllable by said flow controlvalve means.
 2. The self-watering plant of claim 1, wherein soil ispositioned within said liquid fluid-holding space so that a plant may berooted in said soil.
 3. The self-watering pot of claim 1, furthercomprising: a second interior bottom wall positioned in parallelrelation to said interior bottom wall, upwardly thereof to create asecond liquid fluid-holding reservoir between said second interiorbottom wall and said interior bottom wall; at least one opening formedin said second interior bottom wall so that said liquid fluid-holdingspace is in open communication with said second liquid fluid-holdingreservoir.
 4. The self-watering pot of claim 3, wherein said elongatetapered stem extends into said second liquid fluid-holding reservoir. 5.The self-watering pot of claim 1, further comprising: a check valvemeans secured to a distal free end of said elongate tapered stem of saidflow control valve so that liquid fluid may flow into said liquidfluid-holding space but not into said liquid fluid-holding reservoir.